N.J. public school districts to receive at least 2 percent funding increase

Patti Sapone/The Star Ledger Acting education commissioner Christopher Cerf, left, speaks during a 2010 press conference while Gov. Chris Christie looks on. The governor said Tuesday he will boost funding for all public school districts by at least 2 percent of their operating budgets.

TRENTON — A year after New Jersey’s public schools swallowed the largest state aid cut in recent memory, Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday said he will boost funding for all districts by at least 2 percent of their operating budgets.

Some superintendents said they will use the money to rehire laid off teachers and reduce the size of burgeoning classes. Others will bring back after-school busing or eliminate the costly fees many student athletes were charged to play sports.

"We are keeping faith with our commitment to New Jersey’s children and families," Christie said in a statement. "Now is the time to complement the dollars spent with real education reform to bring a focus on student learning, accountability and results."

Woodbridge schools will get $3.5 million more than they were given last year. Hanover’s budget will be boosted by $451,000, while the small West Amwell district in Hunterdon County will be given another $81,000.

In total, Christie increased school aid by $850 million over last year, when he cut nearly as much from districts’ coffers. Those deductions equaled 5 percent of districts’ operating budgets and wiped out all state aid for some wealthy, suburban districts that receive most of their funding from local property taxes.

More than half of the funding restored this year — $450 million — will be spread among 31 of the state’s largest, poorest districts, formerly known as Abbott districts. The state Supreme Court ordered Christie to allocate those funds, and he complied.

Elizabeth will receive $85 million next year, almost twice as much as any other Abbott district. Newark will get $42 million and Plainfield will receive $23 million. All of the Abbott districts were underfunded, as were some 200 suburban districts.

Elizabeth is receiving millions more than any other district because it was so badly underfunded, said David Sciarra, executive director of the Newark-based Education Law Center.

The center brought the 21st round of the landmark school funding suit against the state on the districts’ behalf. Sciarra had argued for full funding of all districts but failed to secure it.

"It is deeply disappointing that we didn’t get to full funding for all districts. There was broad support in the education community to get that done," Sciarra said.

"Unfortunately, the governor has put a road block on that effort."

The budget Democrats in the Legislature passed would have fully funded all school districts and cost the state an additional $450 million. Christie line-item vetoed that budget, leaving more than 200 moderate- and middle-income districts with less money than the state’s school funding formula says they deserve.

Sciarra said representatives from some of those school systems have inquired about a possible legal challenge, but no formal plan to sue the state has been made.

Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, said she was relieved to see "the second step of the school funding giveback" confirmed by Tuesday’s release of district-level aid figures.

Christie gave $150 million more to non-Abbott districts than the allocations proposed in his original budget.

"Last year, districts were all hit the same way. Now, they’re getting back some of what they lost in a similar way," said Strickland, whose organization advocates for mostly suburban districts. "The needs are there, and they’re ready to put it all to good use as soon as possible."

A few months ago, North Brunswick Superintendent Brian Zychowski said he was planning for flat funding. Now his Middlesex County district will receive $792,000 than it received last year.

"In this environment, any time there is a restoration of aid you have to be happy," Zychowski said. "It’s a step toward full funding of the formula and will really help us restore the cuts we made to our classrooms."